54 die in Venezuela prison riot

Caracas: At least 54 people were killed and 88 injured on Friday in a prison riot in northwest Venezuela, media reports said.

A shootout took place in Uribana prison outside Barquisimeto in Lara state after some prisoners resisted a spot check on weapons at the prison, reported Xinhua.

Explosions were heard near the prison, which currently jails 2,600 inmates, official records show.

Nineteen ambulances arrived at the scene, and a priest and a soldier were among the dead.

The Venezuelan government has not yet made any comments on the revolt.

Venezuela is one of the most violent countries in Latin America. More than 21,000 murders were registered in the country in 2012, up 15 percent from the previous year, according to international organizations.